What to do in Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site

*This information is provided by Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation*

Because of the salmon spawning in the river and at this end of the lake, this area is also a bear highway. Bears come down from the tundra to feast on the salmon. Please learn proper bear/human etiquette - this protects both you and the bears.

The park and surrounding area offers some of the best salmon fishing in Southeast Alaska, with four salmon runs, starting in mid-June and ending in mid-October.

Location
Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site is ten miles northeast of Haines, taking Lutak and Chilkoot River roads, or five miles past the ferry terminal.

Climate
The climate in Alaska varies with terrain and region. The south-central region of the state is most temperate because it is protected from cold northern winds by the Alaska Range. The large bodies of water that lies closely to this area create a stabilizing factor for the air temperature. Southeast Alaska is wet. An average of 80 inches of rain comes to this region directly from the Gulf of Alaska.

In contrast to the southeastern region, the interior receives very little precipitation. The winters are long in this region with spring, summer and fall taking place from May through September. The western coast of Alaska experiences long, cold winters and short, chilly summers. This area is very far north and at the mercy of huge water bodies that don't warm. Southwestern Alaska experiences foggy, wet summers with high temperatures reaching 60 degrees F. Winters are severe on this long peninsula of land with storms rising from the surrounding waters frequently. The average rainfall for the region is 75 inches/year.